diff --git a/src/builder.rs b/src/builder.rs
index 2f1018d5..a89280f5 100644
--- a/src/builder.rs
+++ b/src/builder.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use crate::renderers::{ScalingMatrix, ScalingRenderer};
 use crate::{Error, Pixels, PixelsContext, SurfaceSize, SurfaceTexture, TextureError};
 use raw_window_handle::{HasRawDisplayHandle, HasRawWindowHandle};
+use std::cell::Cell;
 
 /// A builder to help create customized pixel buffers.
 pub struct PixelsBuilder<'req, 'dev, 'win, W: HasRawWindowHandle + HasRawDisplayHandle> {
@@ -342,6 +343,7 @@ impl<'req, 'dev, 'win, W: HasRawWindowHandle + HasRawDisplayHandle>
             surface_texture_format,
             blend_state,
             pixels,
+            dirty: Cell::new(false),
             scaling_matrix_inverse,
             alpha_mode,
         };
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 538ae9e7..a3718944 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ pub use crate::builder::{check_texture_size, PixelsBuilder};
 pub use crate::renderers::ScalingRenderer;
 pub use raw_window_handle;
 use raw_window_handle::{HasRawDisplayHandle, HasRawWindowHandle};
+use std::cell::Cell;
 use thiserror::Error;
 pub use wgpu;
 
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ pub struct Pixels {
 
     // Pixel buffer
     pixels: Vec<u8>,
+    dirty: Cell<bool>,
 
     // The inverse of the scaling matrix used by the renderer
     // Used to convert physical coordinates back to pixel coordinates (for the mouse)
@@ -333,6 +335,7 @@ impl Pixels {
         // Resize the pixel buffer
         self.pixels
             .resize_with(pixels_buffer_size, Default::default);
+        self.dirty.set(true);
 
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -514,23 +517,27 @@ impl Pixels {
                 });
 
         // Update the pixel buffer texture view
-        let bytes_per_row =
-            (self.context.texture_extent.width as f32 * self.context.texture_format_size) as u32;
-        self.context.queue.write_texture(
-            wgpu::ImageCopyTexture {
-                texture: &self.context.texture,
-                mip_level: 0,
-                origin: wgpu::Origin3d { x: 0, y: 0, z: 0 },
-                aspect: wgpu::TextureAspect::All,
-            },
-            &self.pixels,
-            wgpu::ImageDataLayout {
-                offset: 0,
-                bytes_per_row: Some(bytes_per_row),
-                rows_per_image: Some(self.context.texture_extent.height),
-            },
-            self.context.texture_extent,
-        );
+        if self.dirty.get() {
+            self.dirty.set(false);
+
+            let bytes_per_row = (self.context.texture_extent.width as f32
+                * self.context.texture_format_size) as u32;
+            self.context.queue.write_texture(
+                wgpu::ImageCopyTexture {
+                    texture: &self.context.texture,
+                    mip_level: 0,
+                    origin: wgpu::Origin3d { x: 0, y: 0, z: 0 },
+                    aspect: wgpu::TextureAspect::All,
+                },
+                &self.pixels,
+                wgpu::ImageDataLayout {
+                    offset: 0,
+                    bytes_per_row: Some(bytes_per_row),
+                    rows_per_image: Some(self.context.texture_extent.height),
+                },
+                self.context.texture_extent,
+            );
+        }
 
         let view = frame
             .texture
@@ -565,6 +572,9 @@ impl Pixels {
     /// Get a mutable byte slice for the pixel buffer. The buffer is _not_ cleared for you; it will
     /// retain the previous frame's contents until you clear it yourself.
     pub fn frame_mut(&mut self) -> &mut [u8] {
+        // Optimistically assume the caller will change the buffer when acquiring mutable access.
+        self.dirty.set(true);
+
         &mut self.pixels
     }